Once Upon a Time
by Pastel Ink
Summary: Sora didn't have any trouble settling back into his life. Helping a kid's school, hanging out with friends... It's all good. Oh, except for where he's in love with Riku. That part's not going so good. [Riku x Kairi, onesided Sora x Riku]


**Notes; **Because Sora would totally be good with kids, yeah? I dunno. I've really been in the mood for good Riku x Kairi lately. My KH OTP is Sora x Riku, though – and I really didn't mean for it to come into this like it did. ... orz if anyone has any fic recommendations for Riku x Kairi, plx to be linking me.

Written because my friend gave me the prompt 'lollipops and sunshine' and said 'not one hundred percent fluffy happy'.

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**Once Upon a Time**

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They don't go to the island very often anymore. They're 'too old' or 'too busy with homework' or 'tired of hanging out there' all the time. So the new generation is there. Sora sees them rowing their little boats off towards the island and he laughs. Smiles. Waves. He's acquainted with quite a few of the children from volunteering at the elementary school, but he waves to the ones he doesn't know all the same.

On a walk home from school, after they've passed Kairi's house, Sora kicks his feet higher than necessary. Walking is boring, but he can make it interesting in little ways. "You should come help out too, sometime," he tells Riku. "I bet the kids would love you." The brunet pauses to say hello to a dog in one of the yards they pass, then turns back to Riku expectantly.

The older boy just smiles at him and says "I'm not very good with kids."

"If you say so," Sora says, and pouts. "But I at least want to introduce you to them some time."

Riku just shrugs. They only walk in silence for a few moments before new subjects are brought up - the two can never keep up silence.

"See you tomorrow," Riku promises. The words aren't an empty phrase. The other students say it carelessly - if they don't see the other, no one will think anything of it. But this is important. Sora nods, but when Riku turns to enter his home, the brunet's hand snaps out. He clutches Riku's sleeve, and when sea-green eyes look at him curiously, Sora blinks.

"Uh." He says, and blinks once again. He hadn't meant to reach out like that. So he flounders helplessly for a moment until finally: "... Want to go to the island today?"

Riku leans forward, shifting his bag with one hand and removing Sora's hand with the other. He leans far enough that his too-long bangs cover his face for a moment, but when he's upright again, he's smiling. This will be the first time they go back. Since the day they came home, they haven't gone there once. "Sure. Should we get Kairi...?"

Sora pauses. He hadn't thought of that. He'd love to spend more time with Kairi - the three of them together or being alone with her. And he does spend a lot of time with Riku alone, lately. But... Riku is different. As much as he loves Kairi and her company, he somehow wants Riku to himself.

He's very determined to not let this sink in enough to understand it. Unfortunately, he's pretty sure he already gets it.

So he feels guilty, but shakes his head. "No. But tomorrow we'll all go, okay?" It's impossible for him to _miss _the smile the older boy gives at this, but even Sora can't catch the slight hesitance before he agrees.

"I'm gonna leave my bag at home, okay?" Riku says, more of an announcement than a question. Sora tosses his bag in the doorway as well, and grins. He'll pick it up later. Riku mocks being offended, and Sora fakes apologetic. The play-fighting gets more and more exaggerated until they're shouting nonsense at each other. Instead of walking, they end up racing down the road, dodging other students walking home and the shoppers on Market Street.

Sora has to push himself, but he catches up to Riku, slaps him on the back and shouts "Tag!" as he runs past him. Riku is faster, and would have kept up, but between trying to keep his pace on a downhill path, avoiding the passer byers, and being startled from the hit, he stumbles and stops for a moment. A girl he vaguely recognizes from school stops her window shopping long enough to look from the blur in the distance to Riku curiously. So he smiles at her, nodding, then takes off running after Sora again.

The brunet is on the docks, doubled over, breathing heavily from the exertion. When he sees Riku coming towards him he straightens up and declares

"I win, Ri--ack!"

Riku tackles him off the docks and straight into the water.

Sora flails underwater, but comes to the surface quickly enough, splashing Riku and pulling himself beside a boat at the same time. He sticks his tongue out, but knows he'll cherish this memory. Being stupid after school instead of doing homework - isn't that what you're _supposed_ to do? He's not sure. He glances up above the docks; he sees everyone staring at them.

He's not sure. He's been away too long. For a moment - just one moment - he's angry. At Riku, at everyone staring, at everything he's been through.

But Riku asks "Something wrong?" and swims up to the other side of the boat. Sora blinks. Anyone who thinks they're weird or too old for this kind of thing doesn't matter. He wonders why it was bothering him at all, and shakes his head.

"Hold it for a sec," He instructs, and Riku's grip on the boat's side tightens. The older boy is taller, and his feet reach the bottom - just barely. He keeps the boat from flipping over while Sora climbs on. While Riku is hoisting himself in the brunet wrings his shirt out over the side. It doesn't do any good.

White. There has always been a misty ocean breeze on Destiny Island, so it's no surprise the white clothes are made thick, and out of material that won't turn transparent. He eyes Riku, and forces himself not to be disappointed.

The boat ride is short. The younger boy spends most of it staring at the island, wide-eyed. In a way, he doesn't want to go back. It feels too surreal, but at the same time, completely normal. He'd prefer something amazing. He realizes, as the boat slides out of the waves and on to the shore, that he really wishes Kairi were with them.

Riku winces as he steps onto the sand, and brings a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun. "So bright out," He mutters to himself. Sora hardly notices the light, but feels compelled to apologize. He doesn't.

"Still a good four hours of sun left," He says instead. He takes in a deep breath, and looks around. The kids are playing - two boys build a sandcastle together while three girls sit on the roof of the shack, talking with them from above. "Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone."

Riku flicks the younger boy's forehead and says accusingly "So that was why you brought me here?"

The brunet grins. "Well, that too."

After pulling the boat farther up on the shore, Sora kicks off his shoes and peels off his socks, tossing them in. Next is his tie, and he takes off a pin from his shirt pocket just in case. (He doesn't quite remember what it's for, but Kairi told him to wear it and support the Link Crew's fund raiser.) Riku rolls up his sleeves and tosses his tie in, but that's all.

So Riku follows Sora across hot sand, chuckling as the brunet curls his toes in the shade and tip-toes over hot sand, rolls his pants up only to have them fall back down, getting sand stuck on them. They're both still soaked, after all. But the sun is warm and the sand is hot. The breeze isn't cool, and the spray is far from enough to stop them from drying. Or so he tells himself. They're still drenched when Sora drops to his knees by a sandcastle.

"Building it kind of close to the waves, aren't you?" The brunet asks the two boys. The first, a chubby boy blinking from under too-long black hair, grins and nods very quickly. The second, blue-eyed and pale-blond says;

"That's the point. We're gonna take a picture when we're done, then another tomorrow when it's all washed away." He motions to the girls sitting above; specifically the first one to the left, who holds a camera that looks far too large, old, and complicated for her small hands.

"If it was far away it would last all night," the first boy clarifies.

Sora beams. "That sounds really cool, you guys." They nod, and look curiously at Riku, standing behind the brunet awkwardly, kind of listening and kind of pretending he's not. Sora catches it, and his smile widens. "This is Riku."

There's a chorus of "ooh"s from both the boys and the eavesdropping girls on the roof. Riku blinks.

The first girl, honey-blonde hair tied back in the longest ponytail Riku has ever seen, waves, still clutching the camera in her other hand awkwardly. Riku almost fears she'll drop it, and waves back in hopes she'll put both hands back on it. She does, but still smiles at him. "Sora talks about you and Kira a lot."

"Kairi," Sora corrects patiently, glancing up before he shifts to sit more comfortably. After a moment's thought, he leans back to keep from dripping water on their castle. It's already oddly deformed, though he wonders if he only notices because he's _been_ to castles. The towers are lopsided and lean against other parts heavily, the small carvings - windows - are placed in random spots, and the leaf-flag is both too-large and slightly-torn from snails or other bugs. In one word: Perfect. Sora starts building another tower, but doesn't stop it from leaning, and doesn't think about proportions or where the windows will go.

Riku remembers being as young as these kids, and remembers looking up to all the adults. Thoughts of _when I grow up_ were like a mantra, and the older kids - the cool ones who had sword fights and went on adventures - they were admired. _I want to be that_.

Then he thinks of being Sora's hero - thinks of being admired for being an egotistical brat. Thinks of mistakes and how he's _not_ a role model. But he'd like to be. Perhaps, he considers, from now on. So he sort of smiles and sort of smirks and asks a cool

"What does he say?"

This time it's the middle girl, and her hand shoots into the air as though she's in class. Riku catches the odd look the black haired boy gives her, but keeps a straight face. As she lowers her hand, she tucks a strand of long dark-brown hair behind her ear, and then says "That he loves you."

It sends the pony tailed girl and the third girl - a brunette with tiny pigtails and thin bangs - into a giggle-fit. "It's true, it's true," The brunette says. "Sora says he loves you an' Kari."

"Kairi," Sora corrects again, but this time doesn't look up. His ears are bright red, and somehow Riku doubts it's from the sun. Their clothes aren't even dry yet - how could he have a sunburn already?

"Anyway, anyway," She says, kicking her feet. The empty knocking noises are uneven, and she says again "Anyway. My name's Anni."

The middle girl nods politely. "I'm Sarah."

The blonde girl lets go of the camera with one hand to point to herself. It teeters in her lap ominously, and she holds her legs out to stop it from rolling off - just in case. "M-Misuzu."

Riku grins his most charming; "Nice to meet you three."

Sora pulls away from his tower to point to the boys – both too occupied with their castle to pay attention to Riku. First the chubby one. "Jordan," Then the blond. "Nick."

"Nice to meet you as well," Riku says. Nick hardly looks up from the doorway he's carving, but Jordan smiles up for a moment. Then goes back to work.

"Well," Sora says, standing and brushing sand off his wet pants, "I think Riku and I are gonna go get reacquainted with the island. Haven't been here in a long time and all." The brunet gives up at getting the sand off; it clings tenaciously to wet knees, ankles, and feet. Nick just waves him away, much like shooing.

Jordan is again the one to stop, and waves goodbye. He looks up thoughtfully, then rubs some gritty sand off his cheek. "Can I finish your tower, then?"

"Of course." Sora says, then turns to Riku and points to the highest tower. Tidus used to hang out there all the time, and it's where the sun hits strongest. "Let's go up there. I wanna sit in the sun and dry off."

Riku winces at the thought of being in the _brightest_ place on the island, but quickly forces a smile. "Sure thing."

"Oh, wait!" Misuzu calls. She sets the camera down at her side - Riku lets out an internal sigh at that - and she stands up. She holds her dress in balled fists childishly, and it's awkward when she walks, but she makes her way to the edge of the shack, and climbs down slowly. She hops down to the sand, and disappears into the shack for a moment, before returning with a bag.

She opens it and holds it out. "Y-you can have one," She says, offering. There are at least fifty lollipops inside, of different sizes, brands, colors and flavors, and Riku looks at her curiously as if too affirm she meant him. She nods, and jostles it lightly. Riku takes a grape sucker, and thanks her with another smile.

Sora points to himself, looking decidedly unhappy. Riku stifles his laugh, but hardly - it's no wonder Sora gets along with the kids so well. He's still a kid himself.

"Oh, of course." Misuzu says, blue-eyes wide, and holds the bag out to Sora. "You can have some."

Sora looks deadly serious. "More than one?"

"More than one."

He takes two, both watermelon, but one with a gum center, and grins. "Thanks, 'Suzu."

"You're welcome, Sora." She turns. "And Riku." Then turns back to Sora. "Do you wanna take one for Kaira?"

Jordan adds "You should bring Kiara with you sometime."

"Kairi," Sora corrects again, still patient. "And it'll be fine not to bring her some." He waves his hand dismissively "We'll just bring her with us next time - tomorrow - and you guys can give her some then. How's that sound?"

There's a chorus of 'goods' and a very slow, formal, 'that sounds good' from Sarah. Misuzu runs back to the side of the shack, and the other girls sigh before standing, helping pull her up. Riku wonders if they realize there's another, much easier way up, but suddenly remembers refusing it just the same.

"Thanks again," Sora says. Another chorus of replies.

"Welcome," from four, and the last, calm and controlled, dragging through the others. "You're welcome."

Sora takes Riku's hand and half-pulls him away. He doesn't need to, because Riku will always follow. But the older boy doesn't mention it, and lets himself be pulled. Riku bows when the reach the ladder.

"Ladies first."

Sora hits him in the head, but goes first anyway. Once they're to the top, he sits on one of the wooden rails, and unwraps one of the suckers. Before popping it in his mouth he says "See? They liked you."

Riku just shrugs, then sits next to Sora and starts on his own candy.

After a long, comfortable silence; "You know? Sunshine and lollipops. We need to do this more often." The brunet says. He looks up at the sky, wide and endless. Clear skies are nice, but he's always preferred a few clouds - the white makes for nice scenery.

Riku looks uneasy, but the younger boy doesn't notice. "With Kairi."

Sora grins, and turns back. "Yeah, with Kairi next time."

In the direct light, their clothes dry quickly. Almost the second he's dried off, Riku moves to sit in the shade.

"It's too hot out," He lies. "And the sun was in my eyes."

Sora flinches, because he knows it's not true. "So you prefer the shade?"

"... No," The older boy says uncomfortably. "I've just been in the sun too long. That's all."

Sora just eyes him and frowns for a moment. Riku almost sighs, but the brunet recovers and starts on his second lollipop. "You get used to it," He says reassuringly. "Just spend more and more time in the sun."

Perhaps to avoid answering, or perhaps taking Sora's initiative, Riku starts on his own sucker, tossing the balled up wrapper at Sora for amusement. The brunet flails for a moment before dropping it over the railing and giving Riku a mock-glare. But he pauses to stare at Riku's mouth.

Then catches himself and looks off towards the beach. He has to remind himself _Riku loves Kairi_, and it's only after the words have echoed in his head for a few minutes that he comprehends them. The lollipop nearly falls out of his mouth and he lets out a quiet "Oh!"

The taller boy looks up at him curiously, lips parted around the dark purple candy. Sora laughs and shakes his head.

"'S nothing, never mind."

The children are taking their photograph, and Sora is blowing gum bubbles.


End file.
